12/4/17 Peter van Buren on the core problems of the State Department

Author and whistleblower Peter van Buren returns to the show to discuss Rex Tillerson’s apparent impending firing/resignation, how Americans have been fooled into thinking they have a Donald Trump problem and not an empire problem, and what the role of the State Department is supposed to be vs. the reality of what it is. Van Buren details the core problems facing the state department, including why its power and influence abroad are severely curtailed by the Pentagon, CIA, and American militarism generally. Van Buren then turns to North Korea and Iran. He explains why the North Korean state believes nuclear weapons are essential to their safety and potential prosperity and why war with either North Korea or Iran would be devastating. Finally, Scott asks van Buren what he knows about the latest developments in Yemen.